Belison Archives - Cultural Mapping of Panay and Guimaras

February 18, 2026

CMPG

The Belison Multi-Purpose Cooperative (BelMPC) was originally established as the Belison Credit Union in 1964 and, at present, has over 7,170 members, recognized as an institution in Antique. In 1992, the organization rebranded and has since expanded its services, including tailored financial products, support for enterprise initiatives, and telecommunications while also offering support services like money transfers, insurance, and bill payments. BelMPC also has since expanded its operations by opening a satellite office in Iloilo. Its service to the community includes social welfare programs like healthcare missions, educational initiatives, and environmental stewardship activities.

Significant Personalities

FELISBERTO ELIO

Antique, Belison

February 18, 2026

CMPG

Felisberto Elio, born on April 12, 1927, was a celebrated community figure in Brgy. Poblacion, Patnongon, Antique. He completed his education at Patnongon Elementary School, Antique High School, and Iloilo Normal School, later becoming an elementary school teacher and administrator. He also served as a principal at several schools, including Maradiona Elementary School, and was deeply involved in local religious and social activities. He joined the parish pastoral council in 1964 and in 1978, later became Chairman of the KK/BEC (Kristyanong Katilingban/Basic Ecclesial Community) in Barangay Maradiona, a role he held until his death on June 15, 2024. Elio also ...

Archival Holdings, Tangible Movable Heritage

1907 LIBRO DE BAUTISMO KANG IGLESIA FILIPINA INDEPENDIENTE SA BELISON

Antique, Belison

February 18, 2026

CMPG

The Libro de Bautismo housed in the Iglesia Filipina Independiente (IFI) Church in Belison contains records of baptisms dating from 1907. It consists of 52 pages, mainly handwritten and in Spanish, and has been preserved in a fragile state due to aging and neglect. The book holds both spiritual and historical significance, as it represents the faith of the local community and the establishment of IFI as the oldest religious denomination in Belison, even predating the establishment of the municipality. Its record of individuals baptized in the church marks a key part of the town’s religious and cultural heritage. Despite ...

Intangible Cultural Heritage, Knowledge and Practices Concerning Nature and the Universe

PAG-PATANDOK

Antique, Belison, Delima

February 18, 2026

CMPG

Pag-patandok is a traditional healing practice observed in Barangay Delima, Belison, and other rural communities of Antique. This practice employs animal horns, typically from goats, deer, or cows, to extract perceived toxins, even rabies, from a person’s bloodstream. The process begins by creating a small hole near the tip of the horn. The horn is then applied to the patient’s skin near the site of a bite, in conjunction with kabulay, a black, honey-like substance produced by the libog insect. This substance is believed to aid in separating poison or rabies from the blood. The practitioner then sucks air through ...

Intangible Cultural Heritage,

APO-APO

Antique, Belison

February 18, 2026

CMPG

Apo-apo is a tradition that honors deceased elders by having participants, dressed in ghostly representations of their ancestors, visit homes on November 1st, asking for food offerings. They chant “Apo” (grandchild) followed by “Ngayo kami bisan ano” (Can you give us anything to eat?) in a ghostly tone, embodying their ancestors’ spirits. Food offerings typically include Filipino rice-based desserts, which are then divided among the participants. While the tradition has evolved, with influences from the modern “trick or treat” practice, with children now dressing as monsters and chanting in a rhythmic tone, the essence remains intact, with children still placing ...

Animals (Fauna), Natural Heritage

KUDAY

Antique, Belison, Ipil

February 18, 2026

CMPG

The Kuday, also known as the Brown Land Crab, is a native crustacean commonly found near estuaries and mangrove areas in select barangays of Belison, particularly during the rainy season. It thrives in habitats such as coastal forests, sandy and rocky beaches, and muddy mangrove ecosystems, where it digs burrows to stay moist and protected. This species is a notable ingredient in local dishes like ginata-an, sinigang, and ginisa, and is harvested using traditional techniques such as pamuswang (bamboo trapping) and tughong (flooding its burrow with mud). Locals particularly enjoy the aligue (crab fat) of the kuday, which is distinctively ...

Heritage Houses/Vernacular Architecture, Tangible Immovable Heritage

PAGUNSAN ANCESTRAL HOUSE

Antique, Bajalan-Lancara, Belison

February 18, 2026

CMPG

The Pagunsan Ancestral House, built in 1951 in Belison, Antique, is a two-story structure made of strong woods like payhud, acacia, narra, and laua-an, with cement walls on the first floor. It was constructed by Bernabe Pagunsan, a public school teacher, to provide comfort for his middle-class family, with a master bedroom on the ground floor and a library on the second floor. The house has undergone some repairs on doors, floors, windows, and the kitchen due to wear over time. It served as a home for the Pagunsan family and hosted important visitors such as the former Vice Governor ...

BELISON MULTI-PURPOSE COOPERATIVE

Cultural Mapping Of Panay and Guimaras

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